Firearms such as the AR-15, AR-10, M16 and the like include a receiver having a stock coupled to one end and a barrel coupled to the opposing end. A breach end of the barrel is received by the receiver and a barrel nut is used to fix the barrel in position. Over time, firing rounds through a firearm will degrade the mechanism and the barrel. While the barrel can be readily replaced, and damaged parts can also be replaced, replacement can be expensive. Even more important, during military and law enforcement use, the need to replace parts can occur at very inconvenient times posing a danger to the user. Additionally, prior to replacement, the accuracy of the barrel can be degraded by wear and/or distortion.
To a large degree, the degradation and even damage to the firearm can be attributed to excessive heating of metallic parts such as the barrel and elements within the receiver such as the extractor. During use, particularly in military situations where automatic fire is employed, high levels of heat are generated by the detonating cartridge and even more is generated by the friction of the bullet passing through the barrel. The heat is collected in the barrel and to some degree in the receiver. To protect a user, a firearm typically includes a handguard covering the barrel nut and the barrel. Unfortunately, while protecting a user, the handguard also contains the heat of the barrel, preventing dissipation. Barrel heat has long been known to cause damage, and has been addressed by the use of water jackets for water cooling in heavy machine guns and with perforated sleeves or handguards for air circulation. While somewhat effective for cooling the barrel, heat collected at the breach end of the barrel and within the receiver has not been addressed. Excessive heating and subsequent cooling can damage and degrade the barrel, the receiver and parts within the receiver.
It would be highly advantageous, therefore, to remedy the foregoing and other deficiencies inherent in the prior art.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved barrel nut to provide cooling of the breach end of the barrel and receiver to prevent excessive heating.